NBA Owners, Players Reach Tentative Deal In Lockout
Though the specific details of the agreement have not been released, it appears that basketball games will resume Christmas Day. In addition, an estimated 66 games will be played this season if the deal is finalized.
NBA Commissioner David Stern told reporters Saturday, “We’ve reached a tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals ... we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin on December 25 -- Christmas Day -- a tripleheader.”
According to the Miami Herald:
“The new Collective Bargaining Agreement will give the players no less than 49 percent of the league’s Basketball Related Income and no more than 51 percent. Owners will be remembered for winning the lockout battle but the players did receive a small victory on one system issue. Owners must spend 85 percent of the salary cap on team payroll in the first two years of the deal and 90 percent the three years after that.”
“We’re really excited,” Peter Holt, the San Antonio Spurs’ owner and chairman of the league’s labor-relations committee said Saturday. “We’re excited for the fans. We’re excited to start playing basketball, for players, for everybody involved.”
Derek Fisher, president of the National Basketball Players Association a player on the Los Angeles Lakers wanted to thank fans for their support. "Our fans and the support from the people and (their) patience through a large part of this process -- that's where a lot of this credit goes to,” Fisher said. "The efforts that have been made have been largely with them in mind."
Reach writer Mike Vulpo here
Read more about the agreement from Neon Tommy's sports editor here.
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